3 Great Ways to Bring the Tailgate Party Home

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October is one of my favorite months of year for many reasons. From the cooling temperatures to the proximity of the holidays I really enjoy this month. Most importantly, I love October because the college football season is in full swing. I could watch football at any level and enjoy it as it is a guilty pleasure of mine. While I was in college I always enjoyed being a part of tailgate parties and we made an all day event of them. My wife and I even carried on the tradition the first few years of our marriage by tailgating at all of our favorite team’s home games, but now that we have kids it doesn’t make the most sense. That said, we’ve found a number of ways to bring the tailgate party home and not bust our budget at the same time.

A Tailgate is all About the Food

Anyone that has ever been to a tailgate party knows it’s about one thing – food and plenty of it. The beauty of the tailgate is that many people bring their own contributions. Family recipes for appetizers, side dishes and desserts and of course, main courses to be grilled are all brought out at a good tailgate party. It truly is amazing how a tailgate with friends can turn a dirty parking lot into a party. Well, that same thing can be done at home and you don’t have to deal with the elements either. You can have a good ol’ fashioned potluck, and even grill if you want, all without the hassle of having to lug your things to the stadium. If that’s not your thing, you can order in pizza and split the cost and make it easier for everyone. However, if you’re like me, you’ll have your friend bring his truck over just so you can replicate the tailgate experience in your driveway. 🙂

There’s Nothing Like the Comfort of Your Home

A popular way to enjoy watching your favorite college football game is by going to a local sports bar. Don’t get me wrong, I love going to sports bars, but I hate the feeling that I need to spend money to be there and you can’t control the television. That’s also not to mention the fact that it can be too noisy to truly enjoy the game, which is of utmost importance if you’re a fan like me. While it might seem boring, by bringing the tailgate party home, you can control what you watch and only spend what you want at the same time.

Make the Game Fun

One thing we’ve done to help make the game a little more enjoyable is employ some of the same activities we do while watching the Super Bowl. Let’s face it, not everyone there might be the most enthralled with college football, but adding in some fun games can help make it more enjoyable. If doing something like that is not something everyone wants to do you can also bring some of the tailgate games to your house and have a beanbag or ring toss and enjoy the outdoors before the game. The point is that there are many ways you can spice up watching the game at home even though you may not be at the stadium enjoying your favorite brew at the tailgate.

What do you do to bring the tailgate party home and on a budget?

Image by University of the Fraser Valley / Flickr

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John Schmoll

John Schmoll is the founder of Frugal Rules, a Dad, husband and veteran of the financial services industry. He's passionate about helping people learn from his mistakes so that they can enjoy the freedom that comes from living frugally.